A Complete Cycling Clothing Guide from Head to Toe

Besides buying the road bike, you’ll soon realize that there are many other things to buy. Among them are accessories and cycling clothing.

There are many pieces of cycling clothing out there for everything from your head to toe. To make things more complicated, there are different versions of each clothing depending on the weather.

But don’t worry.

In this article, I’ll give you a detailed low down of what these clothing are, what they do and why you need them for road cycling.

Read on…

1. Incorrect Bike Fit

Cycling jerseys are widely available today. There are many brands out there and each with their own design. I’m sure there will be a few that caught your attention.

In fact, the best time to buy cycling jerseys is during the Black Friday sales which happens in late November every year.

I’d highly recommend you to wear a proper cycling jersey over just a regular t-shirt, or a sports t-shirt.

Here’s why.

Sweat Wicking. Your body generates heat and get hot as you ride. The harder you ride, the higher your core body temperature is.

In order to cool your body down effectively, a cycling jersey has to wrap your body snugly to allow the sweat to exit.

A regular t-shirt however, will soak up sweat, making it uncomfortable and would probably take forever to dry.

Zippers. Unlike the olden days, cycling jerseys today have zippers which you can unzip all the way down to expose your chest when it gets hot.

It’s the fastest way to cool your body down especially if you’re riding hard up a hill.

Pockets. Every cycling jersey has 2 or 3 pockets at the back for you to store your essentials such as wallet, smartphone, food and wind vest.

They’re easily accessible while you’re riding and don’t get in your way when you’re on your bike.

Types of Jersey Fits and Cuts

Today, there are 2 main types of cut for cycling jersey – aero and regular.

Aero. They’re called aero because they stick to your body like a second skin to provide you with aerodynamics advantage. In fact, they usually run slightly smaller to give you that body hugging feeling.

Sometimes, they’re referred to as Euro sizing or Euro style.

You might feel weird wearing them while standing up. But that’s normal because they’re designed to be worn on the bike.

Regular. Compared to aero jerseys, these have slightly looser fit and would feel more comfortable especially when you’re off the bike.

PRO TIP : If you’re out for a long ride, a regular fit jersey would be a better choice over the aero jersey.

2. Bib Shorts

The bicycle saddle is not like your couch where you can spend the whole day sitting on it.

Even the most comfortable bicycle saddle suited to your pelvic shape would lead to some levels of discomfort if you’ve been sitting on it for over an hour.

Types of Bibs

There are several variations of the cycling bibs with the main difference being its length and fabrics.

Bib Shorts. These are the most common ones worn throughout the year except during winter. They have straps that go over your shoulder to prevent slipping and are made of thin, breathable materials.

Bib Tights. They differ slightly from a bib shorts in two areas. It’s much longer in length and goes all the way to your ankles. Hence you don’t need to wear a knee or leg warmers if you’re wearing bib tights.

Secondly, they’ve fleeced inner and are made of thicker fabrics for you to stay warm during the winter.

3/4 Bib Tights. They’re a shorter version of bib tights. Rather than extending all the way to your ankles, they reach to your calf muscles.

Besides bib shorts, there’s also shorts.

The main difference between these two are the straps on the bib shorts.

The main purpose of the straps is to prevent the shorts from sliding down as you pedal. As you bend forward, the shorts tend to slide down, exposing your lower back.

Not a good sight for the one riding right behind you. Trust me.

The straps, combined with the leg grippers on the bottom of the bib short provide you with a snug yet comfortable fit.

Winter Jacket. Sometimes also referred as soft shell jackets, they’ve all the characteristics of a rain jacket.

In addition to that, they have a fleeced inner to insulate you from the cold and trap warm air near to your body. Some have a longer tail to protect your lower back against road splashes when it’s raining.

6. Sunglasses

Cycling sunglasses play an important role in protecting your eyes not only from the dangerous UV rays but also dirt and sand that can be blown up during windy days.

They also keep your eyes from getting dry which could cause irritation for some.

But today, cycling sunglasses has extended beyond just safety and protection. It has become a cycling fashion statement as well.

The most important part of a sunglasses is actually the type of lens. Generally, they can be grouped into three.

Regular. These are lens that only allow between 10% to 30% of the visible light to pass through. They’re suitable to be worn during sunny days.

Photochromic. The lenses’ tint changes according to the level of UV light. When the surroundings get dark, the lens allows more light to pass through and vice versa when it’s bright. They are the most versatile lenses to be used as they can be worn in a variety of lighting conditions.

Clear. As the name implies, clear lenses don’t have any tints. They’re suitable to be used when riding in low light conditions in the early morning/late evening and during cloudy days. The Oakley Prizm Low Light Lens is one of the best around these days.

Summer Gloves

When it comes to wearing summer cycling gloves, there are split opinions.

Those who prefer to go without gloves generally wants to have a better feel and control of their handlebars. Those who wear gloves swear by it because it provides protection to your palms should you crash and there’s a Terry’s wipe on the gloves to wipe away your snort and sweat.

Regular Gloves. They’re also called mitts or short fingered gloves. It all boils down to personal preference when it comes to the level of padding.

Gloves with minimal padding gives you a better feel of your handlebar but less shock protection from harsh roads, and vice versa.

Aero Gloves. These gloves are generally used for racing. They’re slightly longer than the regular gloves and extend up to your wrist, ensuring a smooth air flow and reducing drag.

Hence, making your faster.

Winter Gloves

During the colder months, long fingered gloves is the way to go. There are several types of winter cycling gloves, depending on how cold it gets.

Liner Gloves. Made of thin fleeced fabrics, they’re meant to be worn under a proper winter gloves to provide extra warmth.

Merino Gloves. These are ideal for temperatures between 8c/46F to 15c/59F and only in dry conditions as they aren’t water-resistant.

Neoprene Gloves. Similar to those gloves used for scuba diving, they’re fully waterproof and best used for very harsh and wet conditions. Do take note that they aren’t breathable and you might get sweaty palms if you’re riding anything more than 1.5 hours.

Deep Winter Gloves. These gloves are bulkier than your standard gloves as they have a waterproof outer and fleeced inner layers. They can be used from anything below 8c/46F to sub-freezing temperatures.

PRO TIP : Always wear gloves during the summer.

9. Socks

Cycling socks are one of the most talked topics when it comes to cycling fashion.

There are many opinions when it comes to the sock length.

Too short (below the ankle) and you’ll look like a triathlete. Too long (below the knee) and you’ll look like you’re wearing compression socks or playing soccer.

In other words, they should be long enough to extend until the point where your calf muscles start to bulge.

PRO TIP : It’s widely accepted that the sock length should be around 5” to 6”.

10. Shoes

It’s a wise decision to use cycling shoes instead of your regular trainers for a few reasons.

Cycling shoes have solid soles, either made of plastic, carbon or a mixture of the two. They provide you with a stable platform to transfer your power effectively to the pedals.

To use cycling shoes, you’ll need to get used to having your feet locked to the bike pedals when you’re pedaling.

For newcomers, it usually requires a few practice before you get the hang of it.

There are 2 types of cycling shoes in the market today – road bike and mountain bike. Both of them use a different cleat system as shown below.

Road Bike Shoes. They’ve three holes placed in a triangle under the sole where the ball of your feet it. Most people refer them as the SPD-SL or Look cleat system.

Mountain Bike Shoes. They’ve 2 holes placed horizontally under the sole and are generally referred to as SPD cleat system. Mountain bike shoes allows you to walk around easily as the cleat holes are embedded into the soles.

PRO TIP : Wear a road cycling shoes if you’re riding a road bike.

11. Shoe Covers

Shoes covers are meant to be worn over your cycling shoes.

They’re made of waterproof materials to keep your shoes dry and clean when its wet. During the winter, they also prevent cold feet.

They come in various length, depending on how much coverage they provide.

Types of Shoe Covers

Toe Covers. These only cover the front half of your cycling shoes. They’re very easy to slip on and off but doesn’t provide adequate protection during the wet.

Shoe Covers. Protects your shoes and your socks from the wet. They can extend all the way up to the first bulge of your calf muscles. Some comes with zippers that make slipping them on/off easier.

Oversocks. They’re basically a pair of socks made of durable fabrics that you slip over your shoes during the dry and cold days. Don’t use them during the wet as they’re not waterproof.